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I knew of the Yva family only by reputation.
“A day too late,” Shay muttered.
The female Sídhe tilted her head, and I guessed that Órán Sídhe had better hearing than most.
Finula Yva’s gaze dragged over the beach. “We know that undine are not welcomed so close to Tarsainn.” She continued. “But it’s imperative that younglings are kept from the water.”
“The beast has been taken care of.” Shay Mac Eoin lifted his voice. “Charybdis is no more.”
“Charybdis is not the only beast.” The Órán Sidhe worried her bottom lip. Her eyes met mine, and recognition sparked. She opened her mouth and closed it again. “Lady Maeve Cruinn of the Esteemed Undine Court.” Her voice was strangled. “You’re here?”
“Where else would I be but where I am?” I cocked my head to the side.
The Órán Sídhe glanced at the two males at her side. “It is by order of the Esteemed Undine court that you must return to Cruinn, Lady Maeve.” I felt the magic in her words, but it passed over me.
Perhaps I had inherited some of Rainn’s immunity to magic.
“More beasts?” I asked, ignoring her statement. “More like Charybdis?”
“My lady—” The Sídhe stepped forward.
I held out a hand. “Charybdis could have killed every nymph on this beach.”
“The Esteemed Undine Court are trying to—” The tips of Finula’s ears turned pink.
I ignored her, turning to Shay. “We need information,” I told him. “If there are others, more fae could be at risk.”
Shay kept his eyes on Finula and the other undine as he spoke. “I saw Charybdis. If she was only the beginning…” He shook his head to clear it before returning to the guests. “Come and have breakfast with us.”
Finula tipped her head in a bow, waiting momentarily before gesturing for her two male companions to follow her. Their adornments dissolved as they stepped onto the land, clearly uncomfortable despite their finery.
Shay Mac Eoin led the undine to the event hall with all the grace of a king receiving dignitaries. I did not follow; instead, searching for Rainn and Tor in the crowd, amongst a sea of angry faces.
I hadn’t truly realized how much the nymphs despised the undine. I felt their hatred coming in waves as Shay led the guests to the main hut by the bonfire. I hadn’t realized how much Shay Mac Eoin had cushioned me from the collective condemnation of the nymphs.
I searched the crowd for Cormac Illfinn and the other Mer. If the nymphs were at risk of swarming the guests, the Mer were definitely at risk of slicing Finula’s throat.
“We have to go to Cruinn,” I whispered, hating the words that came out of my mouth.
I hadn’t realized my mates had heard me.
“No.” Tor snarled.
I was startled, glancing over my shoulder. The kelpie's gaze was stormy. “No?”
“I didn’t see the beast.” Rainn stepped up as the crowd began to disperse. “Do you think it’s something the undine can handle on their own?”
“Perhaps.” I winced. “It’s unusual to send a patrol to this side of the lake. When my uncle—” I caught myself. When my uncle was King, he would use the High Throne. I would sit on the bloodthirsty thing and repeat everything I saw. “Charybdis might be the first threat of many. We can’t allow any more fae to die.”
“Savours of the twilight lake.” Tor joked.
Rainn nudged him. “You’re King of the Reeds; you have a responsibility to the lake. As do I, as the Royal Selkie House of Shallows. Maeve can walk away.”
“I can’t.” I twisted my hands together. “The lake, it’s mine. It belongs to me. I will never sit on the High throne, but the Twilight Lake is my friend. I intend to protect it and the fae that live within it. Do you both have a problem with that?” I glared at them both.
“Returning to Cruinn may be a trap,” Tor said thoughtfully. “And I recall that you had no desire to return. Ever.”
“It's most certainly a trap,” I told him. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go. I have made a bargain with the Kraken. I need to return his eye. It’s the same stone as the High Throne and must be linked somehow.”
